


Running Out of Time

by Starren_Moonstone



Series: Collections from The Journalist - Whumptober Edition [4]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Day 4, Gen, The End, Whumptober 2020, avatarsona, collapsed building, running out of time, unnamed character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26803528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starren_Moonstone/pseuds/Starren_Moonstone
Summary: Kitty first uses her abilities as an End avatar on an asshole.
Series: Collections from The Journalist - Whumptober Edition [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947499
Kudos: 1





	Running Out of Time

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober Day 4: "Running Out of Time" - collapsed building  
> I felt this one was very fitting for an End avatar story, so meet Kitty Haywood as she gets to use her abilities for the first time.

October 2nd, 2017

There is an old building in Amherst that is just a sore eye to those living there. It looks as though it’s barely standing on its own foundation, and it is only a matter of time for it to fall into rubble. No one has bought the plot, so everyone watches and waits for that fateful day.

Kitty finds herself walking in a nearby park, the abandoned building in question looming in the background. The world feels wrong around her, and it is her own damn fault. If only… if only… if only… Kitty sits down, and takes out the key she wears around her neck. If only’s aren’t going to help now. 

“Excuse me, miss?”

Kitty’s head shoots up as a man, maybe a little older than herself, walks over to her. He has this expression on his face that Kitty immediately does not like. Looking at him, she knows he has a long life to live, and will die well into his nineties, peacefully in his sleep. Probably with loved ones all around him. 

“I can’t help but notice that you are very much alone. Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine,” Kitty lies. Would she like to be comforted now? Yes, but not by this stranger.

“Did someone stand you up? I’d punch him if that were the case.”

This only makes Kitty feel more on edge. “No. I’m fine. Please, I would like to be alone.” She starts walking out of the park. Maybe she should go to the library and pretend to read. 

The man grabs her arm, fear pounds into her ears. “Come now, we both know no one likes to be alone.”

Kitty tries to wrangle herself from this man’s grip. “Well, I do. Let me go.” Her voice trembles out of her control. 

“Why don’t we go to a cafe? My treat. How does that sound?”

“No,” Kitty manages to get out of the man’s grip and she hurriedly walks away. She is able to cross the street and starts heading to the library, crossing in front of the old abandoned building as she does so. The man, of course catches up.

“I am trying to be nice.” He says in a forceful way, his voice rising unnecessarily. 

“And I said no. I’m sorry if you are hurt, but I don’t want to be around anyone right now.” Least of all him. Though, something catches Kitty’s eye. Within the building is a construction worker, going through to make sure everything is cleared out of the building. Odd… maybe someone finally bought the old thing.

“You’re lying.”

The numbers above this construction worker are ticking downward. 15… 14… 13… Death by crushing… The building is going to fall…

“Look at me!”

There is a feeling that rises within Kitty. She wants this man gone. Something shifts in the world around her as the building collapses on its own accord. The world slows down for Kitty. The numbers above this stranger change to the countdown she saw on the construction worker. 5… 4… Kitty looks over at the falling building. The construction worker is running out, their numbers having changed to being able to live until they are ninety-four. 2… The man’s eyes grow wide in panic and fear… In all honesty, Kitty figures she should be terrified of what is going on around her. She isn’t, though. This… feels right. She feels alive.

The building collapses completely. The man in front of her now a smushed pile on the sidewalk. The construction worker makes it out of the whole ordeal unscathed. A crowd starts gathering around, and the momentary rush of adrenaline falls out of Kitty and she realizes what happened. Kitty runs off, fear gripping her soul tightly. She just killed a man. Maybe he deserved it, but was it her right to do this in the first place?

**Author's Note:**

> Conflicted Kitty is mostly out of what she went through recently, and not so much about the guy and his shitty actions.   
> If you like what you read and want to learn more and keep up with this content, I have a tumblr set up. beholdingwriter.tumblr.com I'll be posting up the stories on there, as well as answering questions about the characters involved in this collection of stories.


End file.
